Spring-motor.



C. FLINT.

SPRiNG MOTOR. APPLICATION man Eta. 11.. 1.918.

1,27 6,201. 7 Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

v ilmwtto'z Char/ea f/lizt CHARLES FLINT, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

srnING-Mo'roR.

Application filed February 11, 1918. Serial no. 216,485.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FLINT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane in the county of Spokane and State of Was ington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in spring motors, and is especially adapted for use in connection with street and station annunciators or indicators and the primary object is to provide a simple and efficient device of this character which may be quickly and readily operated and which in its action will provide means for setting or presenting to view the next station or crossing of the various stations alongthe route which are to be indicated.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a device which may be operated by hand and which maybe stationed at' some considerable distance from the device to be operated. f

Still another object resides in providing a device which may be readily and quickly applied in any car or station now in use and which is inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very eflicient in use.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the novel features in construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specifications and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a plan view of thespring motor used in connection with the aforementioned device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fi 3 is asection therethrough as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail illustrating lube manner of securing the adjustable stop ugs.

In describing the invention I shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 illustrates the casing of the spring motor of somewhat cylindrical design wherein is mounted a central shaft 2 and rotatably mounted on this shaft is a reel 3. Within the reel is a coil spring 4 and adapted to be wrapped upon the reel is a flexible connection 5 which is projected through a slot or Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug.

opening 6 inthe casing. This flexiblecon-- nection extends for any distance according,

to the position of the indicator proper wit respect to the motor and connectswith the spool or reel upon said indicator upon which the same is adapted to be wound or unwound as the case may be. Whenthe reel or spool of the indicator is wound up which winding is accomplished by means of al handle upon the indicator so that the cord or flexible connection 5 is wound thereon, this cord or connection is removed'from the reel 3 of the motor causing the spring thereof to be wound to its greatest tension. I

have provided a means for releasing the tension of the spring and thus operating the indicator at the will of the operator. To this end an obtuse angular arm 7 is provi'ded,1the same being pivoted loosely on the upper end of the pin or shaft 2; The outer endsof this arm are provided with head members 8, the under faces of which are provided with looking lugs or the like 9. Adjustable bev eled locking lugs 10 are formed on-the outer face ofthe'reel' 3 as clearly shown in Figs;-

reel, and as the engaging faces of the several lugs are slightly overhanging the button or head 8 will remain in depressed position until released. When it is desired to permit the spring to be somewhat released whereby to operate the indicators, the opposite button or head 8 may be pushed inwardly or downwardly which releases the engagement between the last mentioned lugs 9 and 10. The reel will then rotate until the lug 10 comes in contact with the lug 9 on the last mentioned button or head 8. There will be a fractional rotation of the reel 3 and this will be sufiicient to indicate a new station on the indicator proper, it being understood that upon the rotation of the reel 3 the flexible connection or cord 5 is operated to operate a reel or spool or other device upon the indicator. In some instances it is necessary to space the lugs 10 at uneven distances about the axis of the reel and to provide adjustability as desired. Slots ll'are'cutinto the reel approximating nearly a quarter of the diameter of said reel and through .thisslota.

screw 12 ispassed and adjusted with the nut 13 to securely lock the lug 10 in the desired position. By loosing the nut it is possible to set -the lugs :inxany predeterminedposition operationthereof will be readily understood and it willibe seen thatI have provided simple, inexpensive andeflicient means for carrying, out the object of the invention;

While I. have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the function. set. forth it is obvious that various changesin the form, proportion and inthe minor 1 details of construction may be; resorted to Without .departing from. the spirit orsacrificingany of the principles of the invention. 1

Having thus described my inventionwhat I .claim andrdesire to secure by Letters Patent is r v p 1. Ina-device of the class described the combination of a flexible connection-with a spring; motor consisting of a casing. '.having a slot thereing a central shaft in said casing,

copies or: thia-ipatemti may be obtained-for througlrtlre slot in" the-casing, acoil spring member engaged With the shaft and alsc 'with' the reel tooperate the latter, an obtuse angular arm fulcrumed on the outer end of said shaft and having beveled locking lugs at the ends thereof, and additional locking lugs oir-the:outer face of the reel-adapted for engagement with the aforesaid locking lugs whereby" torloclcthe reel against rotation except at such times as may bedesiredto release same according to the will of "the operator. 7 t

2. In a device ofthe class described, the

combination with a flexible connection,- of atherewith, said connection 7 being." directed through the slot in thecasing, a coil. spring member engaged with the shaft and =also Withthe reel to-op'erate the latter, an obtuse angular, armfulcrumed on the outer end of said shaft andhavlng; beveled locking lugs,

at theends thereof, andaddition'al locking lugs on the outer face of the reel adjustably secured to said reel and adapted-for engagement witlil the aforesaid lockingfilugs whereby tolock the reel against rotation except at such times as may be desired. to release same according to'thewill of the operator.

Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES FLINT.

five cents each; by addressingthe Commissioner, of-Infants; Washington, 13.0.? 

